2 Officers` Suit Seeks $2 Million From Calumet City, Police Chief

December 01, 1989|By Laurie Goering.

Two Calumet City police officers have filed a $2 million slander suit against the city and Police Chief Steven Rhoads, alleging that Rhoads told several city officials that the two officers were mentally ill.

The suit, filed Wednesday in Cook County Circuit Court, came after 10-year officers Steven Lundy and James Rupcich had their badges and guns confiscated and were reassigned to desk duty on Oct. 31. That action was based on psychological tests they took with other members of the force.

The suit says Rhoads called Marge Lundy, Steven Lundy`s mother and 6th Ward alderwoman, and told her that her son suffered from either

``schizophrenia`` or ``hysteria.``

He repeated those assertions to Mayor Robert Stefaniak and 1st Ward Ald. Michael Zimmerman, according to the suit.

Also that day, the suit says, Rhoads passed a notice to the two officers that said the results of their test were ``indeterminate and most likely invalid.`` That could mean, the letter said, either that they tried to manipulate the test or that they had ``mental problems.``

That unfolded, unsealed letter passed through a number of officers before being given to Lundy and Rupcich, the suit alleges.

According to the suit, other officers who received ``indeterminate``

evaluations on their psychological tests were neither reassigned nor stripped of their badges and guns.

Lundy and Rupcich were reassigned to street work a week later after taking a second psychological exam, according to the suit, and that second test revealed no psychological problems.

Michael Bledsoe, a Chicago attorney representing the officers, said the two consider themselves victims of a political struggle in the city.

``Rhoads is on opposite sides politically as (Steven) Lundy`s mother,``

Bledsoe said Thursday. ``She has voted against his retention`` as police chief.

According to the suit, Rhoads had ``harassed`` Lundy at other times in the past as well, including giving the officer undesirable shifts.

``It`s Steve`s opinion he has been harassed for minor things where nobody else would have been bothered,`` Bledsoe said.

Marge Lundy said Thursday that she thought Rhoads had singled out her son in telephoning her. ``I don`t feel he would have done it for any other officer,`` she said.

According to the suit, Rhoads also told the Ald. Lundy that her son was in a ``confused state`` that ``exhibited a plea for help.``

Rhoads was out of the office and unavailable for comment Thursday. The city`s attorney, Thomas Bobak, said he had not received a copy of the suit.

The suit alleges that Rhoads` actions toward the two officers were

``malicious`` and made with ``disregard`` for their reputations. It seeks $1 million in compensatory and punitive damages for each of the officers.